bipolar disorder Archives - Page 26 of 37 - Natasha Tracy Bipolar Expert

Apologizing for Overreactions to Emotional Situations

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 19, 2013

Bipolar disorder is essentially your average emotions – only amplified. So bipolar is sadness, but to a level 11. Bipolar disorder is energetic, to a level 11. And so on. And, of course, as a human isn’t designed to run at a level 11, many other symptoms accompany those exaggerated experiences.

And while many of these exaggerated moods are related to no external stimuli at all and just appear out of the blue, some exaggerated moods are the result of something happening in the environment. Near as I can tell, bipolar disorder isn’t just an exaggeration of normal emotion it’s also an exaggeration of normal reactions to emotional situations.

When Does Having Bipolar Become Who You Are?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Aug 11, 2013

I’ve had bipolar disorder for more than a decade – at least. Some might argue I’ve had signs of it since I was a child. That’s a very long time. That’s so long a time that it’s almost impossible for me to imagine myself without bipolar disorder. I suppose I can imagine it but it seems so farfetched that it’s barely worth the bother.

And for most of that time, the bipolar disorder has not been well-controlled. I’ve not only had bipolar, I’ve been manifesting those bipolar symptoms for most of my life. And while bipolar is not all that I am, it occurs to me that it absolutely is a part of who I am.

Getting Your Doctor to Take Your Bipolar Seriously if You’re High-Functioning

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 25, 2013

I once wrote an article on high-functioning bipolar disorder. High-functioning bipolar disorder is bipolar disorder where the person can still function in the major areas of his or her life. So people with high-functioning bipolar disorder hold down jobs, pay their rent, have food in the fridge, shower, and maintain social relationships.

Many people with bipolar disorder do all those things. The thing is, many people don’t. And the tendency is to compare a person who functions highly to one who may not be able to work or pay bills or shower. When this comparison is made, it is assumed that the high-functioning person must not be that sick when compared to others. This leads to doctors not taking the illness seriously of the higher-functioning person. And this is too bad because it can lead to people with high-functioning bipolar disorder get suboptimal treatment.

So how do you get your doctor to take your bipolar seriously if you’re high-functioning?

How to Explain Bipolar Disorder to Others

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 8, 2013

Some people say there’s no way that someone without a mental illness can understand what a person with bipolar disorder goes through. I suppose there is some truth to this; I’m sure I don’t understand what it’s like to be paraplegic even though I have a sense of what it would be like not to be able to walk.

Nevertheless, there are ways of explaining tough subjects, like bipolar disorder, to others, such that they have a better chance of understanding where we’re coming from. Here’s how to do it.

New Drug Approved for Bipolar Depression – Lurasidone

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 3, 2013

I’m always going on and on about how there are only two medications approved to treat bipolar depression (quetiapine and a fluoxetine/olanzapine combination) and about how we need new, novel ways of treating depression in bipolar disorder.

Well, this might not be novel, but it is new.

Lurasidone (Latuda) has now been approved both as monotherapy and as adjunct therapy (with lithium or valproate) in the treatment of bipolar depression by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Lurasidone was tested and approved for people with bipolar I.

How a Person with Bipolar Thinks

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 26, 2013

This is an interesting question: how does a person with bipolar disorder think? Of course, it’s hard for me to compare it with your average person as I have bipolar. I don’t have the two thought processes in my one brain to compare.

Nevertheless, I do have some ideas on how people with bipolar disorder think that seem to stand out amongst the “normals.”

Settling in a Relationship Because of Bipolar

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 11, 2013

Do you feel broken? I sometimes do. I sometimes feel very broken. I sometimes feel like the bipolar disorder has damaged me beyond repair. I sometimes feel like the bipolar disorder has damaged me beyond reason.

I sometimes feel like it would be impossible for another human being with a functioning brain to want me.

And this is too bad because it can lead to some very bad decisions regarding relationships. I’ve seen people with bipolar who feel this way stay with people who were entirely beneath them because they feel like that broken toy. The person with bipolar disorder feels like she/he doesn’t deserve any better.

This may be wrong. This definitely is wrong. But it doesn’t mean that some part of our brains doesn’t still believe it.

I’m Not Myself Today – Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 3, 2013

As I’ve mentioned before, people with bipolar disorder, statistically, spend more time depressed than they do manic or hypomanic. People with bipolar II have it the worst. People with bipolar II can spend up to 35 times more time depressed than hypomanic. This means that if you’re a symptomatic bipolar II, you’re probably feeling depressed right now.

And, of course, depression is a big problem in bipolar disorder as there are only two Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for bipolar depression (although other treatments are prescribed off label).

While that picture is dark, I would argue there is one aspect of depression that’s more within our control but is equally debilitating. It’s (often obsessively) feeling bad about feeling bad.

Am I Feeling Better or am I Hypomanic?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 30, 2013

This is an interesting question that was recently posed to me by a reader: Am I feeling better, or am I feeling hypomanic? Feeling better, of course, is the goal. Feeling hypomanic, of course, is not. One can be something to celebrate while the other can be something to be afraid of. So how does one tell the difference between plain wellness (or happiness) and hypomania?